Liverpool manager, Brendan Rodgers, has claimed striker Mario Balotelli has not been good enough since arriving from AC Milan in the Summer.
The Reds paid £16million for the Italian, but since his move back in August, the foward has only netted two goals and not a single strike in the Premier League.
Things got even worse for the 24-year-old when he was excluded from the FA Cup squad for yesterday’s game against Bolton, and after the game, Rodgers admitted it was down to him not being good enough.
“He knows exactly what is required to be in this squad before he can be in the team,” Rodgers said of the striker.
“I am judging it every day in training – Mario is exactly the same as every other player, there is no special treatment for anyone,” added Rodgers.
“Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert are working tirelessly in training and when they go on they have contributed and young Jordan Rossiter, on the bench today, has been brilliant in training and I have to judge it on that.
“If you want to contribute you have to be at it every single day in training in order to be in the squad on matchday.
“It is difficult for him [Balotelli] but he knows the level of [where] this team is at – you see the aggression in our pressing and if you can’t do that you are not going to be a part of what this team is trying to achieve.
“We had an hour or so yesterday chatting and he understands where he is at.”
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
